Public transport crisis looms in Nairobi

A road transport crisis loomed large in Kenya's capital Nairobi with Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators vowing to defy an order to keep off the central business district (CBD) starting Monday.

The directive by the Nairobi county government is aimed at decongesting the CBD.

The PSVs' Matatu Owners Association (MOA) chairman, Mr Simon Kimutai, said the new stages proposed for them could not hold their more than 16,000 vehicles serving the Nairobi residents daily.

"We have over 1,000 vehicles coming into the city centre on Waiyaki Way and another 2,000 on Jogoo Road. We can't go there because there will be a serious traffic congestion in the city," said Mr Kimutai.

Basic amenities

He further pointed out that the points outside the city centre lacked basic amenities such as lighting and toilets for the PSV crew members.

City Hall, in a notice published in the dailies last Thursday, said it had established 11 points for the PSVs to pick up and drop passengers.